Continue Extending

In April 2009, the Washington state budget for 2009 to 2011 was released. Many government funded programs will be downsized by millions of dollars, and state colleges and universities are receiving a seventeen percent cut over the next three years (Means 199-204). The Washington State University (WSU) alone will receive a nineteen percent reduction in their funding (Means 15). For the university, this means higher tuition, layoffs, and fewer enrollments, but it also means a possible twenty percent reduction in the WSU extension program (Durbin A1). When the budget cuts were first proposed in February, many people spoke out against the drastic cuts on extension, which were over fifty percent at that time. Now that the percentage has been reduced, fewer people are worried, but the effects on extension services could still be devastating. While the total amount of money reduced for the whole university is certain, the WSU staff are still responsible for choosing where the money will be taken from. If they choose to cut too much from extension, it may cease to exist. The extension's mission is to "engage people, organizations and communities to advance economic well-being and quality of life by connecting them to the knowledge base of the university and by fostering inquiry, learning, and the application of research” (WSU Extension Strategic Framework 1), and it accomplishes this mainly through reaching out to the youth through 4-H. The money cut from extension programs, especially 4-H, should be minimal to preserve the advantages they provide.

Reducing WSU's extension programs, such as 4-H, deprives generations of future students from the skills and opportunities these programs provide. According to the Colorado State University Extension website, the nationwide 4-H program was founded with the mission “To empower youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults.” It accomplishes this in three main ways: teaching them valuable skills specific to the project they are involved in, giving them chances to learn leadership in club offices, and competing on a state or national level with other youth. A few other ways 4-H kids benefit are learning how to keep record books, doing community service, and serving in stewardship at fair. All of these experiences help each kid to grow and mature as a person. Many 4-H alumni believe their 4-H experience opened doors for them that they never thought possible. An article, published in The Daily Herald, by Gale Fiege reads, “Lynette Bikos [who teaches psychology at Seattle Pacific University] credits her career as a professor to the life skills she learned as a kid in 4-H.” One of the reasons that 4-H is so effective is that members learn valuable life skills while doing something they enjoy. Without these opportunities, youth across the state will no longer be as successful or be able to teach the next generation through 4-H.

Many 4-H members own farm animals, and their knowledge benefits Washington state's agricultural program, but if WSU cuts its extension services, these benefits will be lost. Washington's agricultural extension is a useful service to the farming community. On the WSU extension website, anyone can access links with the latest agricultural advice ranging from animal health to weather. In fact, university and college extension services were first created to allow working class citizens who could not afford college to get an education relevant to their occupations (“What is a Land-Grant College?” 1). 4-H helps this mission by training youth in projects such as steer, vet science, dairy, and others. In these projects, youth hone skills pertinent to their farm animals, and kids in animal projects are required to go to a judging workshop each year in order to go to fair. At these workshops, they are tested on many areas of knowledge regarding their animals. After going through the 4-H program, young adults will have vast understanding of their farm animals and be able to apply many lessons in their everyday lives.

Still, some people justify cutting extension services by saying that extension services do not teach the university students, which is the university's purpose, so they should be the first to go if necessary. While teaching the students that pay to go there is the main priority of a university, land grant universities such as Washington State have additional responsibilities. Land grant universities and colleges were first started with the original purpose of “teaching agriculture, military tactics, and the mechanic arts as well as classical studies so that members of the working classes could obtain a liberal, practical education.” This may seem outdated, but the Hatch Act of 1887 was passed to create “agricultural experiment stations” to benefit all state farmers with the latest and best research. The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 requires land grant universities to “disseminate” the latest agricultural information to the public through an extension service. (“What is a Land-Grant College?” 1) These appropriations are still very practical today, and the Washington State University is the only land grant university in Washington. Therefore, it is obligated to continue research and distribute it to the farming communities.

If Washington State University cuts their extension budget by seventeen percent, many people believe that most of the programs offered by extension will have to close down. 4-H is one of the most widely known extension programs, and the effects of losing this program would be vast. Youth across the state will lose early training and experiences. Current farmers will also be effected by the reduction of money spent towards the “agricultural experiment station.” These people and others who benefit from extension are strongly urging that these services stay funded enough to continue their work in the community.




Works Cited

Colorado State University Extension 3 April. 2009.
Colorado State University 19 May. 2009.


Durbin, Kathie. "WSU budget cuts will hit Vancouver campus.” Columbian 2 May 2009: A.1
Washington State Newsstand. ProQuest. Everett Community College Library,  Everett,  WA. 19 May. 2009. http://www.proquest.com/

Fiege, Gale. "4-H funding from WSU in doubt :Facing a grim budget, WSU may slash funding for county extension programs.." The Herald 28  Feb. 2009.
Washington State Newsstand. ProQuest.  Everett Community College Library, 
Everett,  WA. 19 May. 2009. http://www.proquest.com/

Final 2009-11 Biennial Operating Budget. 25 April. 2009. Senate Ways and Means Committee 19 May. 2009.

Mills, Joe. "WSU's Floyd sees 'havoc' ahead: Legislature's recent budget cut proposals could result in loss of more than 400 jobs at university." McClatchy - Tribune Business News  1 April 2009. ProQuest Newsstand. ProQuest.  Everett Community College Library, Everett,  WA. 20 May. 2009. http://www.proquest.com/

Statewide Summary & Agency Detail. 7 May. 2009. Senate Ways and Means Committee. 19 May. 2009. http://www.leg.wa.gov/documents/Senate/SCS/WM/SwmWebsite/ SenateBudget/2009/ConferenceCmte/09-11FinalHighlightsDraft4.pdf

“Washington State University Extension Strategic Framework 2006-2011”. 14 December. 2006. Washington State University. 5 June. 2009. ext.wsu.edu/Wemis/pdf/WSUExtensionStrategicFramework2006-2011.pdf

“What is a Land-Grant college?”. 24 February. 2009. Washington State University. 19 May. 2009. http://ext.wsu.edu/overview.html